Chair



Dec. 17, 1929.

H. HARRIS CHAIR Filed Oct. 27, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR. f/a/Y) liar 7's. BY M I 77% ATTORNEYS H. HARRIS Dec. 17, 1929.

CHAIR Filed Oct. 27. 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 17, 1929 UNET i. STATES PATENT OFFECE CHAIR Application filed October 27, 1928. Serial No. 315,368.

This invention relates to an article of furniture having a seat and pertains more particularly to a cushion unit upon which the occupant may repose. The present in 5 vention contemplates the incorporation in such a unit of spring supports or load carrying members, and it is especially adaptable for seats for chairs, davenports, and the like, and the word chair is hereinafter used to broadly define such articles.

Articles of furniture known in the trade as overstuffed furniture have seats which are commonly so constructed that they are dependent for their buoyancy upon groups of helical springs mounted in the chair base side by side and upon resilient cushions which may also have springs. The present common practice is to provide a frame having webs of fabric forming a bottom therein, and in some instances slats serving the same purpose. Upon the webs or slats are mounted a plurality of helical springs side by side and tied together laterally by twine or cord. The unit so formed is covered and serves as a support for auxiliary cushions or like members. The construction is such that the depression of its springs cause a lateral pull on the adjacent springs result-- ing in strains and distortions which are detrimental in the functioning of the springs and in their ultimate efiect upon the springs themselves. Another fault of such structure is that single springs will often hear substantially the entire weight of the 5 occupant and thus will be fully compressed so that they are no longer buoyant. Furthermore, there are spaces between adjacent springs having no support. There are also structural limitations as to the size of individual springs, which limitations do not permit the best functioning of the springs. Numerous other faults of such structures will be apparent to those familiar with the art.

It is the primary object of this invention to provide a cushion unit such that it will conform with a cushioning effect to the body of the one occupying it and accommodate itself to the direction of ap lication and distribution of the weight 0. the occupant as an entirety. It is another and more specific object of this invention to provide a cushion unit which has limiting means incorporated therein to maintain the seat in a position such as to retain the forward edge in position under the knees of the occupant. It is a still further object of this invention to provide a unit which is demountable and interchangeable adapting it to use with various types of chairs and enabling replacement without requiring alerations.

These objects together with other objects and corresponding accomplishments are obtained by means of the embodiments of my invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a cushion unit, with a fragment broken away to'better show the construction; Fig. 2 is a front elevation of a complete chair with my improved unitinstalled therein; Fig. 3 is a transverse section from front to rear of the chair showing a fragment of the chair body and a portion of the unit in side elevation; and Fig. 4 is a fragmentary section as seen on the line 44 of Fig. 3, parts being shown in elevation.

Referring with more particularity to Fig. 1, the invention is shown embodied in an overstuffed chair of conventional appearance. This chair comprises a body A and a seat unit B. The body of the chair may be constructed in the usual manner having a base or supporting frame 5 forming a part thereof and provided with a recess 6 serving as a seat for the cushion unit.

The unit comprises a rectangular underframe preferably formed of wood having a front bar 7 and a rear bar 8 joined at the sides by spaced bars 9 and 10*, there being a pair of such bars at each side of the unit. Secured to the members of a pair'of side bars at about the center thereof are hangers 11 which depend below the bars and are preferably made of strap iron of suitable dimensions. Fastened to the bottom of each hanger is a wood block 12 secured thereto by bolts 13. Secured to each hanger is an elliptic spring comprising semi-elli tic members 1.4. and 15 bent inwardly at t .eir

V rectangular seat frame 16 for supporting the cushion seat. The cushion seat has a basket 17 of any suitable form, such as straps of iron. Helical springs'18 are arranged side by side, some resting in the basket and some at the marginal edge upon the bars of the frame 16.- The cushion seat may be constructed in a different manner and is not essential to the broad inventive" idea except that it should be resilient so that it will conform to the shape of the occupant. In order to complete the upholstering, an apron covering. 19 extends between the frames.

The structure as described shows a cushion seat supported upon the-elliptic springs and so arranged that upon placing a load upon the unit, the elliptic springs will take the-load as an entirety and will absorb shocks and accommodate itself to the shifting of the occupant. The basket construction allows sufficient spring depth for the cushion seat and yet does not require .a height which will make it uncomfortable. The cushion seat may rock forwardly and backwardly. However, a shifting of the front edge under the knees of" the occupant causes the chair to be uncomfortable. In order to limit the rocking movement at the front and to confine such movement to the rear, I have provided limiting members 20 of bar form which are disposed in the front reentrant portion of each spring and bridges the members of a pair of side bars, as best shown in Figs. 3 and i. The seat is thus arranged so that the elliptic springs are not interfered with as to-the'ir resiliency at the front, but the cushion is restrained against rocking at the front edge.

\Vhat I claim is p 1. In anarticle of the class describeohthe combination of a base having a supporting frame, a unit demountably supported on said frame comprising an underframe correspondingto sald supporting frame and hav ing'side bars, hangers mounted on said side bars-intermediate their ends, elliptic springs supported on said hangers, each spring havreentrant forward end, limitinginembers disposed within the reentrant ends, a seat frame supported on said-elliptic springs, a basket forming. a part of said seat frame telescopically disposed within the latter and forming a housing for spiral'cushion' springs.

2 In an article of the class described, the combination of'a base having a supporting frame, a unit demountably supportedon said frame comprising an underfra-me corre sponding to'said supporting frame andhaving pairs of spaced side bars, hangers mounted'on and depending between the members of the pairs 'o'f'side bars intermediatetheir ends, elliptic springs supported on said combination of a base having a supporting frame, a unit demountably supported on said frame comprising an underframe corresponding to said supporting frame and having pairs of spaced side bars, hangers mounted on and between'the members of each pair of side bars, said hangers dependingfrom said bars and secured thereto inter mediate their ends, elliptic springs supported on said hangers, each spring having areen'trant forward end, limiting bars spanning the members ofthe pairs of side bars and disposed within the reentrant ends of the springs to restrain rocking of said cushion frame at the forward end.

4. A cushion unit comprising an underfra'me and having side bars, hangers mounted on and depending from said side bars intermediate their ends, ellipticsprings' supported on said hangers, each spring having a reentrant forward end, limiting members disposed within the reentrant end, a seat frame supported on said elliptic springs, a basket forming a part of said unit telescopically disposed within said seat frame and forming a housing for spiral cushion springs.

5. A cushion unit comprising an under-= frame having pairs of spaced side bars, ha-ngersmounted on said side bars intermediate'their ends, both hangers depending from the'members of the pairs of side bars and between said members, elliptic springs supported on'said hangers, each spring having a reentrant forward end, limiting bars spanning the members of thepairs of side bars an'd disposed with the reentrant ends of the springs to restrain rockingof said frame at the forward end, a seat frame supported on said elliptic springs, and a basket forming a part of said unittelescopically disposed within saidseat frame and forming a'housing for spiral cushion springs.

6.A- cushion unit comprising an underframe having side bars, hangers mounted on said side bars intermediate their ends, elliptic springs supported on said hangers, each spring having a reentrant forward end limiting members disposed within the reentrant end and a seat frame supported on said springs.

7. A cushion unit comprising an underframe having pairs of spaced side bars, hangers mounted on and depending from said side bars intermediate their ends, each hanger being disposed between the members of a pair of guide bars, elliptic springs sup ported on said hangers, each spring having a reentrant forward end, limiting bars spanning the members of the pairs of side bars and disposed Within the reentrant ends of the springs to restrain rocking of said cushion frame at the forward end, and a seat frame supported on said springs.

In Witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 20th day of October, 1928.

HARRY HARRIS. 

